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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

I'm Glad I... Found, Listened, and Ignored

I'm Glad I...

Found friends who are wiser than I

And listened to them

And sometimes didn't listen to them

I surround myself with people who are wiser than I am. It's not that I've gone out and said "Oh, you're smart. I think I will stalk you until you deign to be friends with me." But, they are. They're wise and smart and they have wonderful insight. When you're a person who frequently acts on impulse without thinking through the consequences, having wise friends is a good thing.

Too, when you're a person who sometimes has a hard time seeing outside of your own emotions, it's good. You get so close to a predicament that you can't get perspective... can't see the forest for the trees, they say. When you're there, you need people who love you, but who can separate themselves from the situation enough that they can impart their insight and help you get that perspective.

It's tough, sometimes. Sometimes they tell you things you don't want to hear. You want to do it. You want to do it your way. And you don't want to listen to the truth that your way is probably going to end up in disaster. But, having their insight and trusting them allows you to divorce yourself from the situation enough to take a step back and see how what they say could be true.

But, you have to trust yourself, too.

Sometimes you do the thing anyway. And that's okay as long as you're being honest about it. Go into it knowing the risks. Go into it knowing the possible consequences, and with the willingness to take those consequences on should they befall you.